Ratchet wrench



May 23, 1950y J. .1. GREER ET As.

. RATCHET WRENCH v2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed March 5l, 1945 i Il IN E Tons. Jowj/feer* amue/ fear w 6 May Z3, 1950 J. J. GREER ET Al.

RATCHET WRENCH 2 Sheet's-Sheet 2 Filed March 5l, 1945 Patented May 23,`V 1950 UNITED IIntim R'ATCHET WRENCH John J Green Conimicut, .and- Samuel C. Greer, Warwick, R. I.

Application March '31, 1945,', Serial' No. 585,972

(Cl. ASlew-60) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to `iimprovements in ratchet wrenches, particularly wrenches having ya work` receiving vrecess adapted to fit over .the work from a direction either in line with or transverse of its axis.

Wrenches `of this character are usually provided with a ratchet head having a toothed periphery and a work engaging Asocketopening slotted outwardly through thev peripheral' edge of the vwrench head. In some instances a single pawl having a plurality of teeth thereon is pro-- vided Afor engaging the toothed periphery `of the Wrench `head for the application -of a torque thereto and to permit free rotation of thewrench head -when moved in the oppositedirection. In other 'instances a plurality of spaced -pawls is providedand each has -a single tooth if'or engag'4 ing the toothed periphery of the wrench head. At some particular position of the Wrench vhead relative tothe body of the wrench, the entrance slot to the work engaging socket will be so positioned, asv to receive a pawl and render the -pawl, received ineffective. In .such a situation, if the wrench construction includes a lplurality of pawl's, at least one, thereof, will' be outvof engagement with the Wrench head. If. the construction includ-es. asingle pawl provided' with a toothed surface,. thena plurality of teeth equal in, combined.r width to the opening of the slot of thel wrench head will be. .out of contact, with the Wrench head. Consequently the degree of torque which vmay be applied at said particular relative position. of slot, openingv .canne only that which may be applied through the strengthof the vthen active paw1s-or teeth of the ksingle pawl.. rEhisr requires that the wrench be. made relatively larger for they applicationof Aa given torque than` wouldv be necessary in .a wrench in which the torquev applying element ywould* engage a substan-y tial portion. of the ratchet wrench. head.

An object4 of the invention is to provide a wrench construction having a ratchet wrench head provided with a toothed periphery and means for applying a. torque thereto which `will. engage a substantial. portion of :the toothed periphery thereof at all relative positions of rotation.

Anothery `object of lthe invention is .to provide a. ratchet Vwrench havingfa lwor,kengaging ratchet head capable of being moved into firm engagement. with. the). torque applying means of the wrench..

Another `object of the invention is to 4provide a ratchet-wrencnhaving aratchetfwrenchfhead capable of being moved in a direction `to and from the torque applying means.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a ratchet Wrench a mounting for the .wrench head which may be moved relative to. the torque applying means.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a ratchet wrench a mounting for the wrench. in a manner so as to be moved by a relative movement of the handle.

Another object of the invention is tov provide in la ratchet wrench having a ratchet wrench head, means for the application of torque to the wrench head in a directionsubstantially tangent. tothe periphery oi the Wrench head.

Another objectof the invention isV tov provide for mounting a torque applying means for movement in a` direction substantially `tangent to the. periphery of the ratchet wrench head.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ratchet wrench having a viioating mounting providing a track` about which the vwrench head will move.

Anotherl object of the invention is--to provide a ratchet wrench 'having an interchangeable ratchet wrench head.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of con.-

struction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed yout in the vappended. claims.

In the accompany drawings:

Fig. 1 i-'s a plan view of -a wrench embodying my* invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of a fragmentary portion of the wrench with a portion of' thev casing Vre moved so as to illustratecertain details of' construction;

Fig. 3 is a View' similar to that -shown in Fig. 2 but showing a different relation of element than Ytha-t shown in Fig. 2:; Y

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along lines 4-4 ofl Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along lines 5--5l of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the work engaging element forming part of' the wrench; v

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken substantially along linesV l-l' of Fig. 6*;

Fig. 8 isv a plan view :of a plate form-ing part of the wrench housing;

Fig. 9' is a plan view of a wrench showing a modified construction;

Fig. A10`is a sectional view taken-- substantiallyalong liney Ill-HJ' of Fig. 9;

Fig. '11 is a plan viewof the Wrench) shown' Fig. 9 with the wrench head retaining elements and a part of the casing removed, illustrating a manner of removing the wrench head from between the torque applying means; and

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of one of the wrench head retaining elements.

Referring to the drawing for a more detailed description of the invention, I8 designates a housing having a handle II movably related thereto "which handle may be of any desired appropriate size and shape. recess I2 at one end providing an opening I3. V;

A wrench head I8 located in recess I2 is provided with a work engaging'slotted opening 28 which opens outwardly through the entranceV The housing has a, entrance Y opening I3 in the housing whereby the wrench may be applied laterally 'to the work. Thek wrench head is provided with circular grooves 2| and 22 extending about the opposite edges of the head and concentric to the periphery thereof. In order to movably mount the head I8 in the housing I8, the edges of the recess I2 of the housing are provided with tracks 24 to enter the grooves 2I and 22 and rotatably mount` the head. The housing for reasons of assembly is preferably made of two similar plates 23 best shown in Fig. 8. Each carrying one of the tracks 24 which are circular extending along the edges of the opening I2. These plates are positioned one on either side of the wrench with the outer side anges 25 of one plate abutting the outer side flanges of the other plate. If desired the plates may be welded along the seam formed at the junction of the side anges 25 to secure the wrench head to the housing thus formed.

. 'Ihe handle II is provided at oneend with a jaw I4 and is movably mounted yto the housing; a jaw I5 is also movably mounted to the housing for movement relative to the jaw I4. Each jaw is of similar shape and provided withran internally toothed arcuate surface I6 and I1 respectively. The housing I8 is movably secured to the handle` II by means of a bearing pin 26 which extends loosely through an opening 21 and through openings 28 provided in the walls 29 and 38 of the housing. rIhe ends of the pins are upset against the walls 29 and 38 to secure the same in place. o

i The housing I 8 is alsol provided with an arcuate slot 3I through which passes a pinrv32 that eX- tends between the walls 29 and 38 and is secured thereto by upsetting the ends thereof against the walls. The movable jaw I5 isY also provided with a cam slot 33 through which passes a'pin 374 extending between and Secured to the walls 29 and 38. A leaf spring 35 is fastened at one end to the wrench as by means of screws 36. The free end of the spring is provided with a curved end to engage a curved portion of the jaw I5 at a location adjacent to the outer end thereof so as to bias the jaw towards and into engagement with the wrench head I8.

'In the modification shown in Figs. 9 to 11 inelusive, we have shown a construction wherein the wrench head is removably mounted so as to be interchangeable with wrench heads having different sizes of work engaging openings. As shown the tracks which mount the wrench head in the present case comprise plates 31 each having an arcuate track 38, an opening 39 and a lip 48. One of these plates is positioned on each side of the housing with its track 38 extending through opening 4I in the housing and received in the groove 2|V or 22'in the wrench head I8. The lips 48 are received in slots 42 and the plates wherein said spring 4 secured in position by means of a screw bolt 43 and nut 44, the bolt extending through the openings 39 in the plates and openings 45 in the housing. The arc of tracks 38 are such as to be always in engagement with the grooves 2l, 22 at all relativepositions of the wrench head.

In order to remove the wrench head the nut 44 is loosened suiiiciently so as to permit disengagement of the tracks' with grooves 2|, 22 or the plates may be entirely'removed as shown in Fig. 11. The wrench head is then rotated to position the opening 28 therein to a position such as shown in Fig. 11 and in which position the wrench head maybe readily pulled from between the jaws I4 and I5.

' In operation moving the handle in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2, a relative movement will be had lbetween the housing I8 and the handle II. The jaw I4 being integral with the handle will be moved into engagement with the wrench head to move the sameupon further movement of the handle inthe same direction. In moving the handle in theopposite direction so as to o btain a new location of engagement between the jaws and wrench head, as shown in Figure 3, a relative movement between the housing I8 and handle I I will occur in the opposite direction and move the jaw I4 out ofv engagement with the wrench head. This will permit a freer relative movement between jaws and4 Wrench head merely against the urge of the spring 35.

In order that opening of the slot 28 may be alined with entrance I 3 we have provided a plate 46 having an opening 41 and a knurled edge 48. One of these plates is attached to each side of the wrench head by means of a reduced neck portion 49 thereon which is received within the opening 41 with sufficient friction to normally hold the plates 46 onto the wrench head. The platesV are properly spaced on the wrench head by means of shoulders 58 on which the plates rest. The knurled edges provide a surface to be grasped between the thumb and lingers of one hand to rotate and aline the entrance openings so as to permit removal and insertion of the wrench on the work.

We claim:

1. A ratchet wrench comprising a housing having opposite walls and a work entrance opening therein at the outer edge thereof, a handle movably mounted on said housing at a position between said w-alls, a wrench head having a toothed periphery and a work engaging ,slot extending inwardly from the periphery thereof and movable relative to said housing to position said slot in register with the entrance opening in said housing, said head having a circular groove therein, a

track carried by said housing and engaging in said groove for mounting said wrench head for rotation about said track, said handle having a toothed jaw at Yan end portion thereof movable into and out of engagement'with said wrench head upon relative movement between said'housing and handle, a second toothed jaw movably mounted to said housing and movable into engagement with said wrench head anda spring for biasing said secondr jaw into engagement with said wrench head. Y

V2. A ratchet wrench as set forth in claim 1 is iixed at one end to said handle.

3. A ratchet wrench as set -forth in claim 1 wherein said track is detachably mounted to said housing.

ing a work entrance opening therein, a handle movably mounted in said housing, a wrench head having a toothed periphery and a work engaging slot extending inwardly from the periphery thereof, said wrench head having a, circular groove therein, a track carried by said housing and engaging in said groove for mounting said wrench head for rotation about said track, said handle having a toothed jaw at an end portion thereof movable into and out of engagement with said wrench head upon relative movement bel0 tween said housing and handle, a second toothed jaw movably mounted to said housing and movable into engagement with said wrench head and spring biased into engagement therewith, and a knurl-edged plate carried by said wrench head for manually moving said wrench head to align the slot therein with the work entrance opening in said housing.

JOHN J. GREER.

SAMUEL C. GREER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 556,151 Johnson Mar. 10, 1896 572,857 Barnes Deo. 8, 1896 749,588 Smith Jan. 12, 1904 1,194,471 Boosinger Aug. 15, 1916 1,198,822 Capel Sept. 19, 1916 1,391,636 Kiesel Sept. 20, 1921 1,621,499 Enberg Mar. 22, 1927 1,944,171 Daugherty Jan. 23, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 18,561 Great Britain Aug. l2, 1909 393,243 Great Britain Aug. 24, I1931 

